The Peugeot Hypercar has finally hit the track to continue development work ahead of its debut in the FIA World Endurance Championship.
The manufacturer of the Lion has in fact entered the 9X8 # 93 and # 94 for the 2022 season of the World Endurance Series, but first of all the cars will have to be homologated.
In December, the Shakedown of the prototype presented last summer took place, but the Peugeot Sport press office had cleverly obscured the rear part so as not to really show its shapes, and arousing curiosity about the presence or absence of the infamous wing, which in the first version of the transalpine LMH was absent by declared will.
From Peugeot they let it be known that everything is proceeding according to plan, having begun tests on the dynamometer of the V6 Bi-Turbo engine in April 2021, and then proceeding with those on the bench of the 200kW hybrid unit in November and arriving in December by assembling the everything.
Peugeot 9X8
Photo by: Peugeot Sport
The real operations have therefore begun on the Aragon track, and as you can see there is no rear wing, which has been modified with two showy appendages placed above the wheels, precisely to generate that load that the vehicle needs.
The diffuser area has also undergone changes compared to the presentation version, as well as the side bellies and the profiles of the front wheel arches.
The air intake on the passenger compartment is now triangular in shape and the fin of the bonnet has also larger dimensions, but the camouflage livery of it and the writing ‘Loading …’ applied in yellow on the side confirms that every single area of the 9X8 can be further revised.
Finally, from what can be seen, the front between the light, air intake and upper bodywork is no longer like the one shown in July.
Among other things, the four images published, although having high resolution, were all taken with a particular light and from a distance; combined with the carbon black color of the car, they always have the function of not showing that much of what a real construction site is.
Peugeot 9X8
Photo by: Peugeot Sport
“This configuration is allowed by the ACO / FIA regulation for Hypercars. Our calculations and work in the wind tunnel have confirmed that the decision to race without a rear wing is right,” says Olivier Jansonnie, technical director of the WEC program at PEUGEOT Sport. .
“Along with the developments and adjustments this option requires, we expect it to be validated as we test on different circuits with different characteristics.”
As underlined by the CEO of the WEC, Frédéric Lequin, last week, if Peugeot wants to attend Le Mans it will have to – according to the regulations – participate in at least one of the first two races of the WEC calendar, namely Sebring and Spa-Francorchamps.
The director of Stellantis Motorsport, Jean-Marc Finot, has ruled out the possibility of flying to the United States and for the moment the goal is to continue to grow, with the transalpines still choosing a particular numbering for their cars: # 93 and # 94.
The figure ‘9’ has long been associated with the brand’s historic cars, while the ’93’ recalls the year the 905 scored the famous double at Le Mans. The ’94’ logically follows this.
Peugeot 9X8
Photo by: Peugeot Sport
“We will not go to Sebring, the 9X8 will make its race debut based on its level of preparation, reliability and competitiveness, as agreed with the organizers of the championship, which we will keep regularly updated as our development program progresses,” explains Finot. .
“We could have opted to participate only in selected races without committing ourselves to the season. It would have been possible but not coherent. We have instead chosen an approach that will allow the team a closer and more complete collaboration with the organizers.”
“Even if the 9X8 will not participate in all races, our development work and the homologation process continue.”
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